The invention refers to a process for electrolytic treatment of continuous running material in which the material runs through an electrolytic liquid and electric potential is induced to the material, as well as a device to carry out the process, comprising at least one treatment tank to hold the electrolytic liquid and through which the material being treated is fed, as well as at least one pair of electrodes to induce electric potential to the material.
In electrolytic treatment of steel, for example in electrolytic coating or pickling, the rectifiers induce electric potential in the material being treated. In plants with a continuous feed of material, for example steel strip or wire, the potential is normally induced in longitudinal direction. The electric current thus flows through the treated material in longitudinal direction. When doing so, symmetrical electric circuits also make it possible to configure the individual potentials in such a way that the material has no differential potential before and after the treatment. The difficulty here is that of precisely maintaining the distances between pickling material and electrodes. Practice has shown that a difference in potential always remains in spite of every effort being made to guide the material properly and earthing rolls must be provided to compensate for the earth potential. This is necessary above all to protect the equipment (coilers, shears, etc.). The effect of the earthing rolls is, however, restricted and the greater the differential potential, the greater the risk of the treatment material and equipment being damaged by electric sparks. Finally, there are electrolytic treatment processes in which symmetrical circuits cannot be implemented, for example according to AT-PS 399.167, where the cathode and anode areas are separate from one another and a rinsing stage must follow after the cathode area.